Blair Papagni and husband Josh Cohen, who operate the popular Greenpoint restaurant Anella, as well as the nearby restaurant Calyer, St. Vitus bar, and Jimmy's Diner in Williamsburg, have expanded their north Brooklyn empire even further with Bellwether, which recently opened in the space formerly occupied by troubled scenester nightclub Royal Oak. There's a lot less American Spirit smoke (none, in fact) and a lot more sunshine and cheeriness in the space now, not to mention a high-end vintage Klipsch speaker system. Take a look around.
Chef Andres Grundy, a Queens native who's done time at Bouley and Boston's esteemed Clio, as well as Insieme and Joel Robuchon's L'Atelier, is serving a menu of items mostly meant to share, as well as an extensive raw bar of ceviches and tiraditos, crudo and sashimi, oysters and clams on the half shell. Peruse the full menu below, and if you stop by, be sure to order Grundy's outstanding Carmelized Brussels Sprouts with anchovy, horseradish and yuzu ($6)—a deliciously addictive (and nutritious) surprise. Also surprisingly exceptional: the Toasted Grains with green onion, Parmesan, and charred cipollini broth ($10/$17); a hearty sneak attack of rich creaminess.
Papagni and Cohen are in a seemingly flawless groove right now, and Bellwether fits in nicely with their slightly upscale-yet-stylishly-casual aesthetic. The renovation was done by Matthew Zalla, whose company had a hand in such pretty places as Tertulia, Beauty & Essex, and The Box. And the acoustics are very good in the back dining room, where DJs Phil South and Anton Esteban of the No Ordinary Monkey parties are often found spinning vintage house. On select weekends, the tables are cleared to side for impromptu parties that hearken back to the Royal Oak era, minus all the secondhand smoke and douchey drug fiends. Who needs all that when you've got fresh oysters and tasty Fried Shishitos with black sesame salt?
Bellwether // 594 Union Avenue, Brooklyn // (347) 529-4921
